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Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House
Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (also called Home Alone: Taking Back the House or simply known as Home Alone 4) is a 2002 American made-for-television Christmas family comedy film directed by Rod Daniel, which first aired on ABC on November 3, 2002, followed by a DVD release on September 2, 2003. It is the fourth installment in the Home Alone series. The film brings back several of the main characters from the first two films including Kevin McCallister, but with all of the roles played by different actors. The plot revolves around Kevin McCallister (Mike Weinberg) trying to defend his future stepmother's house from his old nemesis Marv (French Stewart) and his sidekick/wife Vera (Missi Pyle). It was Rod Daniel's last film.2 Plot Peter McCallister, who is finalizing a divorce from his wife Kate, announces to their children Buzz, Megan and Kevin that he and his wealthy girlfriend Natalie are hosting the visit of a royal family at her mansion, and invites them to spend Christmas there. After the three initially refuse, Kevin accepts the offer after being bullied by Buzz, and revels in the mansion's luxuries. The next morning, Peter and Natalie go out while Kevin stays with Natalie's butler Mr. Prescott and maid Molly. Kevin notices his old nemesis Marv and his wife Vera scouting the house. After failing to get Mr. Prescott's attention via the intercom, he drives them away by flooding the mansion. When Peter and Natalie return, they refuse to believe Kevin's explanation, especially since Mr. Prescott claims to have seen nothing. Kevin discovers that the security cameras were turned off during the break-in, leading him to believe that Mr. Prescott is in league with Marv and Vera. To cheer themselves up, Kevin, Peter and Natalie decorate their Christmas tree, although it is later re-trimmed by professional decorators at Natalie's request. As the mansion is prepared for a party for the royal family's arrival, Peter and Natalie go to pick them up, while Kevin notices Marv and Vera disguised as caterers. He traps Mr. Prescott in the freezer, overhears Marv and Vera's plan to kidnap the prince for ransom, and forces them out of a window. The royal family is unable to attend the party because their flight was cancelled, so Peter and Natalie decide to announce their engagement instead. Marv and Vera run back into the house and pursue Kevin, who accidentally ruins the party by running into the guests and knocking over an ice sculpture that turns out to be a frozen Mr. Prescott. Angered, Peter sends Kevin to his room, refusing to believe his story and accusing him of trying to sabotage his relationship with Natalie, who threatens to evict him if he misbehaves again. Taking matters into his own hands, Kevin sets up booby traps for Marv and Vera. The next morning, the duo head to the house after Peter and Natalie go to pick up the royals. Kevin tricks and locks Mr. Prescott in the basement, but discovers that Marv and Vera's real ally is Molly, who is also Marv's mother. Kevin gets locked in the basement with Mr. Prescott, who admits that he turned off the cameras during the initial break-in as he was taking an unscheduled break from his duties because he despises Natalie, let alone working for her. He and Kevin apologize for misjudging each other, and agree to work together. After several failed attempts to call Kate, Kevin escapes via the house's dumbwaiterand temporarily traps Marv underneath it. Marv and Vera pursue Kevin through the house, where they spring the traps and suffer various injuries, while Molly gets trapped in the elevator. At the airport, Peter gets worried about Kevin and takes a cab back to Natalie's to check on him. Kate, Buzz, and Megan also drive to the mansion due to the suspicious nature of his calls. Kevin uses an altered recording of Marv's voice to provoke an argument between him and Vera, and knocks them over with a remote-controlled plane. The duo are then tricked by Kevin with a secret wall switch, end up being launched onto a chandelier, and are knocked unconscious by their fall. Molly, having escaped, grabs Kevin, but Mr. Prescott, who also escaped via the dumbwaiter, knocks her out before calling the police. As Peter, Kate, Buzz, and Megan arrive, Kevin, with Buzz and Megan's help, prevents a final escape attempt from Marv and Vera. The royal family and Natalie arrive, and the criminals' plot to kidnap the prince is revealed to Natalie's shock. Mr. Prescott, per Kevin's advice, resigns from his position as her butler. Realizing that their relationship was built on infatuation rather than love and was affecting his responsibilities as a husband and father, Peter breaks up with Natalie, and reconciles with Kate and their children. Grateful to Kevin for his foiling of the kidnapping plot, the royals spend Christmas with the newly-reunited McCallisters. Cast * Mike Weinberg as Kevin McCallister * French Stewart as Marvin "Marv" Merchants, * Missi Pyle as Vera * Erick Avari as Mr. Prescott * Barbara Babcock as Molly Merchants * Jason Beghe as Peter McCallister * Clare Carey as Kate McCallister * Joanna Going as Natalie Kalban * Gideon Jacobs as Buzz McCallister * Chelsea Russo as Megan McCallister